Housing and the next Government Most unpredictable election for many years Could produce a hung parliament without a clear option for stable Government.

Housing and the next Government

• Most unpredictable election for many years

• Could produce a hung parliament without a clear option for stable Government

What do the public care about?

Housing - 11

Housing was not an election issue for most people in 2010

DefenceHousing

IraqPublic transport/ roads

AfghanistanProtect nat env./climate change

PenionsBenefits

Care for older peopleCrime/ law and order

UnemploymentTaxation

Asylum and immigrationEducation/ schools

HealthcareManaging the economy

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%3%3%3%3%

5%5%5%

7%7%

8%11%

12%14%

23%26%

32%

Source: Ipsos MORI Issues Index

100 days from a general election

• Housing is high on the political agenda

• Media interest is also high but focus is on house prices

• Can we capitalise and make this the ‘housing general election’?

What are the parties saying?

Conservatives• Housing focus on first

time buyers – 100,000 at 20% discount

• Tough on welfare – lower welfare cap, no HB for under 21s

• NHS focus on GP access, yet to outline how they will meet NHS 5 year view funding gap

Labour• Lyons review – 200,000

homes a year by 2020, including garden cities

• Remove ‘bedroom tax’• Invest extra in NHS from

proceeds of mansion tax - £2.5bn more than Conservatives

• Increased focus on mental health

What are the parties saying?

Lib Dems• 300,000 homes a year,

including 5 garden cities• Major focus on mental

health, especially ‘parity of esteem’

• ‘Yellow card’ system rather than sanctions without warning

• Will meet £8bn funding gap identified by NHS 5 Year Forward View

Common ground• Continuing climate of

austerity

• Not enough detail on potential cuts – where will they fall?

• Health and care integration agenda

• Devolution

A single, clear message

THAT ALL POLITICAL PARTIES COMMIT TO

Political engagement

Our long-term plan

• For the first day of new Government

• Narrative on why housing associations are the answer to lots of problems

• Ideas on how to solve the housing crisis (land, investment and freedoms for housing associations)

• Our chance to articulate the wider role of housing associations and how they can be more effective and ambitious

Policy ideas so far…

• Can we create a ‘troubled families’ style approach for people with complex needs?

• What role for social investment?

• How do we safeguard current housing benefit spend?

Working with others…

• King’s Fund calling for NHS Transformation Fund – how can we make it work for housing associations?

• Care and Support Alliance call for extra investment in social care – fund equivalent to ‘moderate needs’

• Incentives to build ‘middle market’ retirement homes – ARCO, APPG on Older People

Thanks for listening!

Patrick Murray (Policy Officer Care & Support)Email: [email protected]

Phone: 020 7067 1192